angelica
angelica Lexical Profile
• noun
Any of various tall aromatic plants of the parsley family (genus Angelica), native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, known for their large leaves and clusters of greenish-white or white flowers.
"The gardener planted angelica near the back of the border to add height and architectural interest to the flowerbed."
The candied stems of the angelica plant, often dyed bright green and used for decorating cakes and pastries, or the aromatic oil used as a flavoring in liqueurs.
"She decorated the traditional trifle with glace cherries and slivers of bright green angelica."
Word Nuance & Usage
The lowercase noun 'angelica' refers to the plant or its culinary products, whereas 'Angelica' with an initial capital letter designates the botanical genus or serves as a female given name.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Medieval Latin 'herba angelica' (angelic herb), historically named because it was believed to bloom on the feast day of Michael the Archangel and possess miraculous protective properties against plague and poison.